Christian Commonwealth, Illustration – Introduction
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CARTERS CHRISTIAN Common VVealth; OR, Domeſticall Dutyes deciphered.
¶ Printed at London by Tho: Purfoot. 1627.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THE Maiſter, Wardens, and the Aſſiſtants of the worthy and famous Company of Gouldſmithes, of this Honourable Citie of London.
Worſhipfull Sirs,
INgratitude, was a ſin even vntounto the Heathens ſo odious, that Periander among the Corinthians made this law, that if any in a Common weale prove… vnthankefull hauing receiued a benefit, he was to bee put to death, and as the reliques of Gods Image in them: ſoe nature in the ſenſible creatures hath ingrafted thankefulneſse, to paſse by thoſe preſidents produced by Hiſtorians, which may ſeeme incredible; the Naturaliſts obſeruation of the Merlyon not to prey on the Larke which hath giuen warmth to her cold feet, is remarkeable: And the ſpirit of God in Scripture hath plentifully inioyned it. That I may proue my ſelfe therefore inſtructed in this duty, not by nature onelyonly, but by grace, in this glorious light of the Goſpell; I preſent vntounto your view and patronage, theſe poore indeavours, the fruit of a thankefull heart, expect you cannot a loftie ſtile or curious phraſe, for I take not vppon mee to inſtruct, but onelyonly to remember: your curteous acceptation I doubt not of, from the former experience of your worthineſſe. Surely if the poore Perſians water in a potſheard was exceptable to the Emperour; and an Apple from a poore Peſſant was received by Artaxerzes a great Prince; if Alexander tooke curteouſly water from a common Souldiers helmet; and our Sauiour crowned the poore widdow with everlaſting prayſe for two Mites to the Treaſury: your generous diſpoſitions will ſparingly cenſure and curteouſly accept theſe my poore labours; which howſoeuer, they bee your worſhips, and ſo is the Author.
Yours in all humbleneſſe to continue, THOMAS CARTER.
To the Reader.
AMongſt all the bleſſings that God hath beſtowed vponupon vsus (curteous Reader) the word of God next to our Sauiour, challengeth the moſt eminent place, as being the guide and direction vntounto him, and the inſtrument to preſerue vsus vnblameable in a froward and crooked generation: The Prophet Zacharie ſpeaketh ofZach. 9. laſt ver. the wine that Chriſt doth offer to drinke, whereof virgins are gendred and begotten, other kind of wines are wont to kindle evill luſts, but this wine the Goſpell, reſtraineth thoſe luſts, and maketh the heart pure: hence is the inſtruction of our Lord to ſearch the Scripture, as being able to inſtruct the ignorant to reforme the vertuous, and ſo to make perfect the man of God in all good workes. This excellent vertue hauing drawne mee to a diligent ſtudy of ſacred Writ, and conſidering in the laſt & worſt dayes the great neglect of family dutyes, frō whence ſpringes ſo many corruptions in children and ſeruants, being dayly ſpectators of the heads corruptions, I hauehave thought it my duty not to let my Talent reſt, but by that ſmall portion of knowledge God hath giuen vntounto me, to ſet vp ſome way-marke to direct others to the waters of Shiloh, which run pleaſantly to coole the heate of corruption and frowardneſſe, and to teach vsus obedience privately and publikely. If it bee obiected, that many eminent men hauehave already ſufficiently performed this worke, I anſwer, that another performing his duty, excuſeth not me; Secondly, none euer ſo fully and amply hath put to the preſſe dutyes in this nature, as I can hereof; Thirdly, they came not to my hands till I had finiſhed this worke: It ſeemed thē neceſſary, not to let it ſuffer obortion, but to bring it to a charitacle view & cenſure of the vnderſtanding reader; May it pleaſe you then to accept of theſe vnpoliſhed, yea, vnſquared documents, neither it may bee methodicall in reſpect of order, nor curious in reſpect of phraſe, onelyonly the token of a willing heart, and affording ſome good generall motions if thou pleaſe to afford a little diligence in the reading, and care in the prctiſing. This performed, I hauehave the end I ayme at, and thus remaine thine ever in the Lord,
Thomas Carter.
The Introduction to the worke.
HEe that ſayd theIob. 7. 1. whole life of man was nothing elſe but a time of temptations, ſpake moſt fearefully, and yet moſt truly▪ for we are tempted in our old age; & in our cradle we are not free; if any euill bee ſet before vsus we are provoked vntounto it; If we abound with Adam in Paradice, there may be death in that; And if wee want with our Sauiour in the wildernes, there are temptations in that; So ſubtill is Sathan, and ſo envious is our enemie to ſerue himſelfe vponupon all occaſions. In the former age of the world hee wrought and prevailed with men by bringing errors of mind, and doctrine of Diuels to ſeduce the Church, but now the cleare light of the Goſpell is come in, & knowledge doth abound, he laboreth to bring in error of life, and depravitie of converſation, for that, notwithſtanding men know their maiſters wil, yet they performe it not, that all meanes poſſible (both the ſpirituall ſword of the Miniſter, & temporal ſword of the Magiſtrate) ought to be vſed for the reformation of theſe known euils, yea, eueryevery mā to ſet a hand to this worke, amongſt which nūber I hauehave brought forth my poore abortiue talent to farther the ſame, labouring by reproofes to beate downe vice, and by inſtructions to informe the Husband to louelove his wife, and the wife to obey her Husband, the Father to bring vp his Children in the feare of God, not provoking them to wrath, and the Childrens obedience to their, Parents; the Maiſter to guide the ſeruant, and the ſeruant to obey his Maſter in all things in the Lord: what if I bee no Miniſter, nor the ſonne of a Miniſter? Shepheards and clownes hauehave beene Diuines ſometimes and why not I? and therfore not doubting the entertaynement, I ſet forward to the worke; and firſt for the duty of Husbands.